Biggest Myths in Football

[dazjoe]

Shearer twice turned down United.

As he said himself:

After talks [with Kenny Dalglish] I went back home and had a call from someone at Manchester United.
They were interested, they wanted to sign me. I said 'I've promised Kenny I'd give him an answer within two or three days, I intend to do that. I would love to have talks with you.

I never had a phone call back from Manchester United, so it was never an option."

He never rejected United when he left Southampton.

 

[dazjoe]

Also, that Ferguson would have sorted out Gazza and his career/ life would have been so much different if he'd only signed for United.
Ferguson couldn't sort McGrath out. He couldn't sort Morrison out. Whiteside too to a point. Whilst he might have had more of a chance than Venables did, this notion that it was a sure thing if only he'd signed for United is nonsense. Gazza was and is a very disturbed man with clear mental demons and a severe problem. It would have taken a lot more than just playing for Ferguson to help him.

 

[alexthelion]

Luke Shaw is one of the best left backs in the world.

Not myth, fact (when fit, that is).

 

[Oranges038]

Not myth, fact (when fit, that is).

When he's fit, he absolutely is.

Availability is an ability though and he can't stay fit to save his life this season.

A fit Luke Shaw... another mythical creature.

 

[chomsky89]

Zlatan beeing a flop at Barcelona.

He made a goal/assist every 81. min. Did not fit well in the Barca-system maybe, and you could say that the price tag means he should never be benched, but his numbers were solid enough.

 

[theatreofdreams777]

That we played good football under Ole (other than a couple of first games as interim). It was basically another defensive, counter attacking team after Mourinho but somehow it was "an improvement" after spending nearly half a billion on transfers.

We constantly struggled to break down defences and find it very difficult to play against low block teams. We were out of ideas when we had the ball most of the time & we became a very expensive underdog team that had midtable mindset under his management. It was in his first full season where it felt United truly turned into a mediocre counter attacking team that's happy to finish in top 4 for the first time after Fergie stepped down.

 

[RedRocket9908]

The myth that Howard Webb is a Man Utd fan

 

[Josh 76]

Also, that Ferguson would have sorted out Gazza and his career/ life would have been so much different if he'd only signed for United.
Ferguson couldn't sort McGrath out. He couldn't sort Morrison out. Whiteside too to a point. Whilst he might have had more of a chance than Venables did, this notion that it was a sure thing if only he'd signed for United is nonsense. Gazza was and is a very disturbed man with clear mental demons and a severe problem. It would have taken a lot more than just playing for Ferguson to help him.

This wasn't a myth. It was an opinion.

 

[Oranges038]

Man City will be punished for their 115 charges.

 

[matherto]

A good player but he was utterly overrated. He was hilariously wasteful with the ball at times. Always wanted to score a worldy while the shot would fly out of the stadium.

He can't be one of the best central midfielders ever when no manager ever trusted him to be a central midfielder.

His two best seasons were 04/05 and 09/10
In 04/05 he played a floating role and they had Hamann and Alonso in the middle and 09/10 he played as a second striker behind Torres.

 

[Berbasbullet]

He can't be one of the best central midfielders ever when no manager ever trusted him to be a central midfielder.

His two best seasons were 04/05 and 09/10
In 04/05 he played a floating role and they had Hamann and Alonso in the middle and 09/10 he played as a second striker behind Torres.

Freaking thank you! Gerrard was a great player but he wasn’t a CM as such. I’d argue his peak is closer to Rooneys position than a traditional CM like an Alonso or Carrick.

 

[dazjoe]

This wasn't a myth. It was an opinion.

They're all opinions. If they were facts then they wouldn't be a myth.
It's people's opinions than Torres destroyed Vidic everytime they played. It's all opinion that Gerrard was a great player or an average player.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Hojlund is a poacher type forward.

 

[Tyrion]

That a higher xG means you played better. Finishing is part of football. If you finished badly, then you didnt play that well.

Liverpool fans are the most knowledgeable in the world.

That's a weird one. They're not more or less knowledgeable in my experience and I've no idea why such a generalisation seems to have become popular. I'm guessing Shankley said it to suck up to them once and it stuck. It's like if everyone said Villa fans were the most punctual.

 

[MegadrivePerson]

38 league games without defeat is Mount Rushmore stuff. No idea why anyone needs to tear it down because of games played and lost in another competition.

One of the best teams the league has ever seen.

I'm not disputing that they were a top team, but it's just the whole 'invincible' label is inaccurate. Even in the Champions league they were beaten by fellow English club Chelsea.

It's obviously an achievement to avoid defeat in the league but it's triggers broom stuff to claim to be invincible!

 

[Plant0x84]

A team could draw all 38 league fixtures and technically claim to be invincible too, would that be the sign of a good season?

Ha! You’d have 38pts and likely be relegated so probably not!

 

[Plant0x84]

Monday night football is worth watching.

Soccer Saturday is worth watching

 

[Offside]

Ole post lockdown was the best time we've had since Fergie and I really can't think of a suitable contender to that title.

The 3 months following the World Cup last season were better.

 

[Josh 76]

They're all opinions. If they were facts then they wouldn't be a myth.
It's people's opinions than Torres destroyed Vidic everytime they played. It's all opinion that Gerrard was a great player or an average player.

A myth is an exaggeration of something that's happened or a false belief. An opinion can be something that's never happened. Like Gazza didn't sign for Utd, so no one knows if Fergie could have changed him. Torres did have a couple of good games against Vidic, but it's been exaggerated that Torres destroyed him in every game he played, which was false.

 

[Orion.]

Rio Ferdinand was an elite ball playing defender; in reality his passing was mediocre, and Vidic and Evans were far better at progressing the ball in that era.

 

[Gio]

Also, that Ferguson would have sorted out Gazza and his career/ life would have been so much different if he'd only signed for United.
Ferguson couldn't sort McGrath out. He couldn't sort Morrison out. Whiteside too to a point. Whilst he might have had more of a chance than Venables did, this notion that it was a sure thing if only he'd signed for United is nonsense. Gazza was and is a very disturbed man with clear mental demons and a severe problem. It would have taken a lot more than just playing for Ferguson to help him.

My view as well. Gascoigne played under some superb man managers in Venables, Robson and Smith and could still never escape his childhood trauma and issues he has carried through his life. Him coming through today would be different, but that would be down to wider social change than the impact of any single manager.

 

[astracrazy]

2-0 is a dangerous lead (well it is for us )

 

[Bwuk]

Rio Ferdinand was an elite ball playing defender; in reality his passing was mediocre, and Vidic and Evans were far better at progressing the ball in that era.

Not sure you've watched Rio then. Absolutely baffling take.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Rio Ferdinand was an elite ball playing defender; in reality his passing was mediocre, and Vidic and Evans were far better at progressing the ball in that era.

This is a wild one...

 

[DJ Jeff]

Also, that Ferguson would have sorted out Gazza and his career/ life would have been so much different if he'd only signed for United.
Ferguson couldn't sort McGrath out. He couldn't sort Morrison out. Whiteside too to a point. Whilst he might have had more of a chance than Venables did, this notion that it was a sure thing if only he'd signed for United is nonsense. Gazza was and is a very disturbed man with clear mental demons and a severe problem. It would have taken a lot more than just playing for Ferguson to help him.

Totally agree. There was no helping Gazza. Being away from London would not have stopped him drinking every day.

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

Too busy watching these.

Liverpool 1 - 2 Genoa 1992
Liverpool 0 - 2 Spartak Moscow 1992
Liverpool 0 - 1 Celta Vigo - 1998
Liverpool 0 - 1 Roma - 2001
Liverpool 1 - 3 Barcelona - 2001
Liverpool 0 - 1 Valencia - 2002
Liverpool 0 - 2 Celtic - 2003
Liverpool 0 - 1 Grazer AK - 2004
Liverpool 0 - 2 Benfica - 2006
Liverpool 0 - 1 Barcelona - 2007
Liverpool 0 - 0 Braga - 2011
Liverpool 0 - 3 Real Madrid - 2014
Liverpool 2 - 3 Atletico Madrid - 2020
Liverpool 0 - 2 Atalanta - 2020
Liverpool 0 - 0 Real Madrid - 2021
Liverpool 0 - 1 Inter - 2022
Liverpool 2 - 5 Real Madrid - 2023

Extremely visually appealing this list. If porn was a list of football fixtures

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Extremely visually appealing this list. If porn was a list of football fixtures

It's incredibly sore this morning but I'll be back at it later.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

This is a wild one...

I'm old enough to remember everyone moaning at his aimless long balls in the match day threads.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I'm old enough to remember everyone moaning at his aimless long balls in the match day threads.

Ah yes, the match day threads. Gospel.

 

[DJ Jeff]

I'm old enough to remember everyone moaning at his aimless long balls in the match day threads.

Same and I agree. I honestly think Rio is hugely overrated and had just one incredible season, whereas Vida had 3 or 4. He was better on the ball than Vida for sure but he wasn't pinging it around and we didn't play in such a way back then. Few remember that Wes Brown was far better than Rio in 05-06 too..

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

He can't be one of the best central midfielders ever when no manager ever trusted him to be a central midfielder.

His two best seasons were 04/05 and 09/10
In 04/05 he played a floating role and they had Hamann and Alonso in the middle and 09/10 he played as a second striker behind Torres.

Great point.

I'd say "Gerrard is a top 10 CM of all time in the PL..."

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Ah yes, the match day threads. Gospel.

I get that, but I remember watching him clip aimless passes to the channels and lose us the ball. Short passing was great but people are looking back like he's got this passing range of Xabi Alonso.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Same and I agree. I honestly think Rio is hugely overrated and had just one incredible season, whereas Vida had 3 or 4. He was better on the ball than Vida for sure but he wasn't pinging it around and we didn't play in such a way back then. Few remember that Wes Brown was far better than Rio in 05-06 too..

You lost me here mate.

 

[DJ Jeff]

You lost me here mate.

I know that would naturally lose loads of people but I do think his rep is inflated beyond what he actually delivered.

 

[AdamColeBebe]

Man City will be punished for their 115 charges.

Oh they will. Just a debate as to whether it's a five or six figure fine.

 

[AdamColeBebe]

I know that would naturally lose loads of people but I do think his rep is inflated beyond what he actually delivered.

6 Premier League titles
1 Champions League

He literally isn't overrated.

 

[DJ Jeff]

He can't be one of the best central midfielders ever when no manager ever trusted him to be a central midfielder.

His two best seasons were 04/05 and 09/10
In 04/05 he played a floating role and they had Hamann and Alonso in the middle and 09/10 he played as a second striker behind Torres.

You've mixed up 09/10 and 08/09 there but yes I totally agree. I used to read a few Liverpool forums back then and absolutely none of them rated Gerrard as a pure CM, or thought he was capable of playing as one. He just didn't have it in him.

 

[DJ Jeff]

6 Premier League titles
1 Champions League

He literally isn't overrated.

That's part of being in an insanely good team. I'd say Rio's two best seasons were 07/08 and 11/12, maybe 06/07 too. Outside of those three he was either injured or struggling for form much more often than people seem to remember. Vida gets a very raw deal on here because people perceive that he couldn't survive today's game but Rio could. Vidic would instantly be the best defender in the league if you put him in today's game at his peak.

 

[r3idy]

The Mythical West Am way

No look Thiago world class

Both Myths of the modern game

 

[AdamColeBebe]

That's part of being in an insanely good team. I'd say Rio's two best seasons were 07/08 and 11/12, maybe 06/07 too. Outside of those three he was either injured or struggling for form much more often than people seem to remember. Vida gets a very raw deal on here because people perceive that he couldn't survive today's game but Rio could. Vidic would instantly be the best defender in the league if you put him in today's game at his peak.

Messi overrated then when he was at Barcelona?